Why do they call a cold a cold?

Question

When you are sick with a cold it doesn't make sense calling it a cold. Why did it get called that in the first place?

Answer 1

Originally, the term "cold" may have referred to a "cold condition" such as the hot, cold, dry, and wet "conditions" described by the ancient Anatolian physician Galen, but the climate is only an enabler and not the cause. Colds are somewhat more common in winter, and cold climate may affect transmission by causing people to stay indoors where ventilation is reduced and proximity to infected persons is increased, but the cause of the infection remains viral.

In the 18th century, John Wesley wrote a book about curing diseases; it advised against cold baths, stating that chilling causes the common cold. The work was widely reprinted in the 19th century. Another book by William Buchan in the 18th century also gave wet feet and clothes as the cause of the common cold.

Many languages reflect the unfounded belief that exposure to cold increases the risk of catching a cold virus:


Austrian German
Bosnian
Catalan
Chinese
Danish
Dutch
Finnish
French
German
Greek
Hebrew
Italian
Japanese
Latvian
Norwegian
Polish
Portuguese
Russian
Serbian
Slovenian
Swedish


Hope this helps.

Rick the Pharmacist

Answer 2

Most likely from the belief that colds are caught because of catching a chill or being in cold weather. Neither are true but colds are caught from being inside from the cold where the germs from others may be lurking. Could be from the fever causing chills and the feeling cold with them.

Answer 3

because people used to ( and still do) beleive that you catch a cold by BEING cold. ever hear someone tell you as a child to put a coat on or you'll catch cold? Being overly cold/wet, just reduces your immune system's ability to fight off the abundant cold germs that we are exposed to MORE in colder weather

Answer 4

It used to be commonplace to blame all the symptoms of a 'cold' on cold weather. Now it is believed that people get stuffy/runny noses and all the other 'cold' symptoms because they are staying indoors because of the cool temperatures and they are more suspect to airborne bacteria.

Answer 5

Maybe because people tend to get them when its cold outside and at one point, I think they used to think the cold made you sick...it doesn't, but because we are inside more and close our doors and windows, we don't get as much air circulation so germs are more likely to stay around longer, and poof...you get sick.

Answer 6

Lady: well an "Common Cold" because it's usualy like
flu symptom also the person needs rest in bed until better yes!

Answer 7

i dont know,maybe they dont know what to call it...
and most of the people catch it when it's cold!
LoL!